Thought For The Day

[Neeranam]

Or, loving our family and friends is easy, but can we love our enemies?

I must say that I can't love my enemies, yet!

I have made a lot of progress though in the last few years.

I find that if I pray for them then they seem to cease being enemies.

I look on them as being sick people who I want to get better.

I often have to say, "please let them get what they deserve", which is one way of getting round praying for good things for them.

Maybe one day, I will be able to love them.

[Neeranam]

It is easy for men to write and act like philosophers, but to act with wisdom, there is the rub.

[OlRedEyes]

It is easy for men to write and act like philosophers, but to act with wisdom, there is the rub.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like that.

There is no good, and there is no evil, only the subjective perception thereof.

[sabaijai]

There is no good, and there is no evil, only the subjective perception thereof.

All depends on how you look at it.

"A stick is just a stick, until you need it for something. Then it's either too long or too short."

--Korean Zen master Soen Sanim

[OlRedEyes]

All depends on how you look at it.

Subjective. Perception

[Gohonzon]

There is no good, and there is no evil, only the subjective perception thereof.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All depends on how you look at it.

"A stick is just a stick, until you need it for something. Then it's either too long or too short."

--Korean Zen master Soen Sanim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'Value creation'

Which is...?

'Basically, that everthing's neutral and only gets a value--positive or negative--through how we relate to it. And these values are beauty, gain and good.'

I digested this for a moment. 'You're saying that we give value to things?'

'Almost. The value's created through through our relationship to that thing, our attitude.'

'And this relates to work?'

'It relates to everything,darling.' Dora smiled. 'The more value we create, especially for other people, the happier we are.'

The Buddha, Geoff and Me: A Modern Story; Edward Canfor-Dumas

[Neeranam]

The worried convict dies many times before he reaches the gallows.

[Jai Dee]

The worried convict dies many times before he reaches the gallows.

I bet you could substitute "groom" and "altar" there too...

[denby45]

Not very profound but If a man stands in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him....Is he still wrong?

or

If a mute kid swears does his mother wash his hands with soap?

Den

[Neeranam]

If you keep on saying that things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.

[bina]

from my quaker high school ( quoting someone from the quakers, sudden alzheimer here ):

let your lives speak

[sabaijai]

from my quaker high school ( quoting someone from the quakers, sudden alzheimer here ):

let your lives speak

Love that one, it sums up the whole Quaker approach. Apparently that aphorism is an updated, liberal Quaker interpretion of George Fox's original exhortation, "So let your lives preach ..."

I graduated from a Quaker college, am still a member of Society of Friends.

[Neeranam]

Don't be puzzled by problems, whatever they may be. Always face them as if they are examinations you have to pass.

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(Neeranam @ 2005-07-11 16:10:53)

The worried convict dies many times before he reaches the gallows.

I bet you could substitute "groom" and "altar" there too... 

55

That's funnny you should be on stage Jai Dee!

[Thomas_Merton]

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself" - Jean Anouilh. French playwright, 1910-1987

I like this one; it offers some interesting perspectives, when looked at through Buddhist or Christian eyes.

[Sir Burr]

"Worry is the interest paid on a debt not yet due".

[Thomas_Merton]

"Worry is the interest paid on a debt not yet due".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which compares nicely with:

There is only what is now. What has happened, has already happened and is gone. What might happen, might never happen. There is only what is now.

[Neeranam]

"Worry is the interest paid on a debt not yet due".

Thanks Sir, reminds me of

"Fear knocked on the door, Faith answered it, and No one was there"

[Neeranam]

The first entry in my book -

What was the future happens now, what hapens now becomes the past - so why worry?

Now is a gift, that is why it is called the present.

[Neeranam]

When your entire world seems upside down you can either attempt to put it right again or stand on your head.

[Sir Burr]

And the one I try to live by:-

"Never rely on anybody else for your own happiness".

Edited July 16, 2005 by Sir Burr

[Gohonzon]

"Never rely on anybody else for your own happiness".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Rely on the Law and not upon persons" ~Nirvana Sutra

Law =Mystic Law, Dharma ,Truth.

[Neeranam]

Bliss is realising that nothing has a beginning and nothing has an end.

[Sir Burr]

"There's no point crying over spilt milk, for the whole universe has conspired to spill that milk".

Edited July 17, 2005 by Sir Burr

[meadish_sweetball]

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself" - Jean Anouilh. French playwright, 1910-1987

I like this one; it offers some interesting perspectives, when looked at through Buddhist or Christian eyes.

I like it too, but what are the different perspectives it gives you personally?

To me it seems to say something like

Love is something you create - from learning to give (not something that appears out of thin air)

I cannot see other meanings in it though I have tried. Without hijacking the thread, would like to hear your (and anybody else's) perspective too.

[Thomas_Merton]

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself" - Jean Anouilh. French playwright, 1910-1987

I like this one; it offers some interesting perspectives, when looked at through Buddhist or Christian eyes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like it too, but what are the different perspectives it gives you personally?

To me it seems to say something like

Love is something you create - from learning to give (not something that appears out of thin air)

I cannot see other meanings in it though I have tried. Without hijacking the thread, would like to hear your (and anybody else's) perspective too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I was implying (and I'll probably explain this very badly having just come home from a reception) is that from a Christian view you could say the implication is that the lover gives himself to the loved one, for example God.

From the Buddhist point of view could be interpreted as giving his "self" in order that by being selfless he or she is able to be truly compassionate (to be loving to others).

Its all a bit messed up, and requires a many levelled interpretation of the word love not usually contained in the English word love.

[Neeranam]

How should we live? Live welcoming to all. - Melchtild of Magdeburg

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(Thomas_Merton @ 2005-07-14 11:20:44)

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself" - Jean Anouilh. French playwright, 1910-1987

I like this one; it offers some interesting perspectives, when looked at through Buddhist or Christian eyes.

The first thing I see in this quote is that I should give more of my time to my family, not be at work all the time and just giving them money, but give myself physically.

Another thing I see is, I must offer myself without any reservation toward my concept of God.

Another is, I must get rid of self-centredness, the root of my "suffering" and which causes all kinds of fears.

Another is that love IS ABOVE ALL.

[Jai Dee]

"When you feel rejected, start accepting yourself, and then go out and accept someone." -Sondra Ray

[Neeranam]

Good one, JD